Michelle Grabner

Michelle Grabner is a Professor and Chair of Painting and Drawing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). She previously served as a Visiting Critic at the Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania. Her academic background includes a B.F.A. and M.A. in Art History from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and an M.F.A. from Northwestern University.

Grabner is an artist, writer, and curator. Her research and practice focus on contemporary art, art criticism, and curatorial initiatives. She founded and directs The Suburban, an artist-run project space in Oak Park, Illinois, and co-directs The Poor Farm, a kunsthalle in Wisconsin. Her work has been exhibited globally at institutions including the Musée d'art Grand-Duc Jean (Luxembourg), Kunsthalle Bern, and the Milwaukee Art Museum.

Her writing appears in prominent art publications such as Artforum, Frieze, and X-tra, where she serves as a corresponding editor. Grabner’s contributions bridge artistic practice, critical writing, and institutional curation, emphasizing collaborative and experimental frameworks.